My Chocolate Chips!

So I took a little trip to Utah... okay I was gone for six days from the homefront!   I left home on Wed. the 18th and came back Wed. the 25th.  I went to spend some time with my family and to give my sister Brenda the baby shower she had not had yet... this being her 3rd baby, Marlo and I thought it was about time.   I will post a bit of those travels in different increments.   But this one, is the baby shower and sisters!

The 4 sisters-- we are all separated by about 5-6 years.  

Karalene, Marlo, Brenda, Erica

(notice the Cali girls dressed in long sleeves-- yep we were warm that day!)

My sisters with their babies-- all the babies have been born in the last six months.  I am the one with the hands that are empty... but you know I got to love on those babies.  Well except the newest, he was too fresh and I did not want to spread germs.   But the other two... absolutely delicious!

We did up a Brunch-- complete with Waffles, Strawberries and Whipped cream

 and hash brown casserole.  

It was held in the beautiful home of my sister-in-law Lori.  See her purple wall and the above the connecting red wall-- so beautiful.

We did the Diaper and Frozen Dinner---- Baby Shower

My  two sister-in-laws,  Monica and Kristen.

We should of taken an ALL sister picture-- hindsight is 20/20.

In the cookies of life, sisters are the chocolate chips.  ~Author Unknown

Happy Birthday Shad!

Shad is the short form of the biblical name Shadrach, the Babylonian name of one of the three young Hebrew men who were cast into a fiery furnace and miraculously survived.

Shad is my nephew, son of Mike and Trudi (Scott's sister).    His birthday was March 26.... I did not forget, just been behind on the blog... as you can see.  Much to post, do not know where to begin.  So I believe this little squirt turned 7?  So hard to keep track of these things when you do not have a calendar telling you.  I am up to 32 Nieces and Nephews now and add to the fact that I am just trying to remember my own age...  well you understand.  Right?  

Shad is a cute pumpkin head-- always grins for that camera.

So when this guy came on the screen with his bashful- ear to ear smiles... I could not help but think he looked like Shad.  What do you think?  Is this Shad in about 10 more years?

He has spent lots of time at Disneyland.  Especially around his birthday... being that it can fall around Spring Break.  When he was born I remember that we were at Grandpa Gordon's and Grandma Ellen's-- I believe for Easter-- or at least pretty close to it.  This is his family minus the newest edition, baby Sarah.  Picture from Christmas 2007 at the Magical land in Cali.

So Shad has this uncanny luck to be chosen for the Jedi Knight training.  He takes it very seriously and does really well.

So Shad for your entertainment I have included a few videos for you.   I LOVE this story from the Bible.

Video-  StarWars-- Shadrach, Meshach, Abendigo

Video-  Song--Shadrach, Meshach, Abendigo

Happy Birthday Shad.   May the force always be with you.  Thanks for being such a cutie... I am sure it just melts your Mom and Dad and you get away with everything!  Love you little guy,  Aunt Karalene

Happy Birthday Grandma Ellen!

Ellen means light.

Ellen is married to Scott's Dad, Gordon.   She makes the best spaghetti and garlic bread around.  Oh... just writing that makes me VERY hungry.   

I have many a nifty holiday decorations for my home that have come from Ellen's collections.   Ellen in an incredible home decorator.  I have learned much from her.   

Jordan has stayed at Grandma Ellen's with out Scott and I a few times.  He loved it... all the special attention just for him.  One of those times he lost his tooth.  That night the tooth fairy sprinkled her fairy dust around the bed stand and left him $5.00.   It pays to loose a tooth at Grandma's house.

Grandma loves the ocean... if she has her wish she would be there right now!  Maybe she is...

Here is Grandma with a few of her grandchildren, McKenna and Jordan.  Not the clearest or best picture... but I am not home when typing this and am not able to scan some of the other photos I have.   

Happy Birthday Ellen!  Thanks for being so kind to us and the kids.  Thanks for loving Scott's Dad and being a light in his life.  Hope you have a fantastic day.   With our Love- Scott, Karalene, Jordan and Chance

20 Years Ago Today!

March 17, 1989--

Scott and I were Married

As you can tell we were just kids!

And here we are 20 years later... with two wonderful boys, 16 and 9.   Where did the time go... hard to believe.  

Having been married on St. Patrick's Day has provided some unique challenges.  First of all the date was chosen because it was the Friday between Spring Break for me at CEU.   So it was only by coincidence that it was St. Patrick's Day.   Since I am kind of theme person... I went with green  for colors.  However,  I really liked red... that is what I REALLY wanted for my wedding colors.  But green and red in spring did not work.  I ended up with peach and green.

So about celebrating an anniversary on St. Patrick's Day.   When we were living in the midwest the special of the day was Corned Beef and Cabbage and Green Beer.   Not your typical romantic dinner.   Here in California... it is not quite so noticeable when we head out that it is St Patrick's Day.    But hey!  It is a date that you can't forget!

Happy 2oth Scott.  Love you Forever!

What MORE could you ask for?

While searching on Amazon for a gift idea, this caught my attention.  A toothpick holder!  Of the Voodoo Variety.

So I had to read the reviews... just to see who buys this stuff and why.

This one excited me.    

 Greatest toothpick holder ever!, September 30, 2008

By	Rabid Sofa Pillow (Brownstown, IN) - See all my reviews

For years I thought that the penguin toothpick dispenser was the best way to store your toothpicks, but it pales in comparison to this little guy. Everyone that sees him has made a comment, and my cat is afraid of it so she finally stays off the counter! What more could you ask for?

Oh,  do you think it would really work?  I am so desperate.

And then your kids get a LIFE...

One day you wake up and find that things are just not the same. 

 Your kid has decided to have a life. 

THEY have decided what THEY want to do and what THEY want to pursue.  Not exactly what you as a parent would like them to do.  Because let's face it... I have a lot of heart, but I am a woman of practicality.  I pretty much know my limitations.  So when Jordan wanted to join a Band Corp that is 20-30 minutes away- with practice hours and days that are atrocious,  I did not encourage him to do it.   But the kid made carpool arrangements, got his Dad to drive him, and agreed to show me weekly effort in his progress toward Eagle.  (which by the way young man... you need to show me!)  And so it would of been wrong of me to take his dream, his pursuit of what makes him click away.  

 This kid LOVES marching band.   

He started practices in January.  They will become more and more frequent until he is practicing 4 days a week ALL day when school is out.   Our grand plans to camp at New Brighton Beach... for Memorial Day weekend... shot out of the water.  Entire summer of weekends... gone!   Oh yes, it is going to be excrutiatingly busy.   They will be gone for 1 1/2 weeks doing performances in the Midwest.    Our 4th of July camping trip... none existant!  However he will be performing in Bakersfield that weekend, won't that be hot experience!

And if that do not beat all... our trombone player has changed instruments to the Contra Tuba.

Yes, this Massive thing.  I asked him if it could be any bigger.... he says this is the medium size.   Keep in mind... he marches with that obtrusive thing....high percision shows!

He has good form-- don't you think.

The case it goes in!

So do you all feel my weary... and Jordan's excitement?

We call him Chef Chance

Chance made dinner a couple of weeks ago.  He called them meat sticks.  Ground turkey wrapped around popsicle stick with some ketchup on top.  He baked them in the oven.  When they were done I told him to set the table.  He did and set the meat sticks on the plates.   I did not see he had done that and as we waited for Scott to come home, the infamous cat ate one of them.   Passed his approval.   So we knew they were edible.  

They were delicious.  I think I should have him do dinner once a week.

Snow Camping

This past Friday and Saturday, Jordan and Scott snow camped with the Scouts for Klondike Derby.   Scott said it was FUN.  12 degrees Friday night... pretty cold for some California kids.  Although, the snow here, is in California!

  

Younger Scouts getting ready to pull and push the sled.

Nate and Jordan.  One is my son, the other I call my adopted son.

The older scouts went on a hike... snowshoeing.   

I was happy to stay home in my nice warm bed. 

For Fun

George Washington, our nation's first president and leader of the American Revolution! 

Abe Lincoln, our most honorable leader pull our nation through its darkest time

Alexander Hamilton, founding father, first secretary of the treasure and leader of the constitutional convention! 

Andrew Jackson, "Old Hickory " fought the British in New Orleans ! 

Ulysses Grant, Union army general, lead the North through the Civil War

Ben Franklin, Genius inventor, political theorist and leading author of the constitution. 

Finally, we have someone to put on the food stamp!!!!!!! 

Welcome Baby Zackary!

My sister Brenda and her husband, John, had their third child on Tues. March 3.  She was scheduled to be induced that day at 7:30 am, but Zackary let his Mom know he could do it all himself and was born at 7:26 am.  Good story,huh.  I think so.  Here is Brenda's report.

"Zackary  was born on March 3rd, 2009 at 7:26am. He weighed in at 7 lbs 9oz and 20 in long. We are glad that he came to us nice and healthy and such a good eater. Katelynn and Ethan are really happy to FINALLY be able to touch and hold him. It is just too bad that Daddy, Katelynn and Ethan are all sick this week. So, I get all the bonding time I want and need because no one else can hold him or be around him too much until they are not sick anymore."

 

So this would be the 4th baby born in the last 6 months to all of my sisters and Scott's sister.  Three boys and one girl.  My sisters all had boys-- they are going to have so much fun being cousins! 

Happy Birthday Kristen!

Wikipedia says Kristen means: Your very smart and Wise! You know just when to handle things and the right way to handle them! 

Someone of course wrote that-- but it fits Kristen.  

Meaning of the name Kristen:  Christian, anointed.

Kristen is my sister-in-law, married to my brother Nielson.   So the above pretty much sums up Kristen, so I could end it here.   But I want to demonstrate how well she handles things.   

I have been saving these pictures since August, just for this day.   Kristen is a woman of many talents-- this is just one of them.    

So Nielson has the opportunity to wake board, she drives the boat.  Not yet impressed?

She wake boards for so long that she has to give her arms a rest.

And when she wake boards, Nielson drives the boat real fast and makes sure she catches big wakes.   If this was video, you could see just how fast she is going.  I was impressed the camera could get such a clear shot.

And then this talent... it is pretty impressive.    See the white truck in the middle to the back with a trailer behind it- well Kristen is driving it.  She going to back the trailer into the water so Nielson can drive the boat on to it.   But before we move on... I just wanted to point out the double tow... can't even believe it is legal, and that is a little truck.  

You see this beauty... not just anyone back up a trailer like that.

And she stops... perfectly.   Talent!

Happy Birthday Kristen.  I hope it was fantastic, fun, and festive!   I could of told lots of things about you, but this is the one that I have been wanting share.  To show just how talented and gifted your are.   When I went with Nielson the year before... I was not confident in any of the above.  So I was truly impressed in what you did.  I had to share with everyone just how terrific you are.  Love you,  Karalene

A reflecting moment

So I have found Facebook to be absolutely lovely!  I have a daily contact with family and friends... a little update here and there on what they are doing.   

I get to be connected to family members that I would probably never see except maybe at a funeral.  The one time families usually get all together at one place. 

I have connected with friends all the way back from high school.  I have been choosy... not just anyone can be my friend on facebook.  But I have loved seeing what they are doing and seeing their pictures.   

To me it is all like having a forever reunion with those you care about and love.  What could be better then that. Seriously!

And a blog... the joy of having a blog where friends and family can take a peek at what I am thinking and doing in a little more detail.  Where I can do Birthday Tributes to honor and talk about those I love-- while they are alive.   It is all such a good thing.

And today facebook and the blog converged.  

My cousin Cat has a friend who has just passed away.  She

shared that on facebook.  Provided us links to the obituary, shared pictures.   She is a new mother, gave birth to twins in February.  A life taken too soon.  A husband left with two little infants and the love of his life is gone.   It hit to the core.   Life is full of unexpected events-- some good and some bad.

And the blog.   

This new mother had recently started a blog... sharing her pregnancy, the loss of jobs for both her husband and herself, and the joy of finding out they were having twins.   Her story is there, it is written, it is shared.   

Get a blog... make it private, make it public, just make it your own.  A place that you write your story to be shared while you are alive and to be cherished long after you are gone. 

The link to her blog is here.

Happy Birthday Alyssa!

The Greek name Alyssa means - rational. 

Botany: alyssum is a flowering herb

Alyssa is the daughter of Sara, Scott's mom, and Stephen.  She turns Sweet Sixteen today! It has been fun to see her grow up.  She was always such an obedient child.  Today we love how she takes Chance under her wing and is so nice to him... he loves it.   We just got done wishing her a Happy Birthday and Chance gave her nice rendition of "Happy Birthday" ending it with "cut the cake"!

Alyssa enjoys singing, being in musicals, teaching piano, and a student teacher for a vocal group for teen girls.  According to her mother, she is loving every minute.  It is good to be busy.

This is Alyssa's school picture from this year.  Isn't she beautiful and have such a pretty smile?

When Jordan was 2 months old, Stephen and Sara adopted Alyssa.  I was so excited and they stopped by my waitressing gig and I got to take a peek at my new sister-in-law.  

First Easter, 1993.  Alyssa, Stephen and Jordan

Adoption was finalized 6 months later- September.  Alyssa was given a name and a blessing, this is her blessing day.  Sorry, the scanner is not making me happy on some of these pictures.

Alyssa's first birthday.  You can see little Jordan's head off to the bottom.  He attended the party.

Happy Birthday Alyssa!  Hope it is a wonderful day for a princess such as yourself.  I love you.  Karalene